Laos is preparing to build what will be its seventh of nine planned large-scale Mekong River mainstream dams, the latest project in its controversial economic strategy to become the \u201cbattery of Southeast Asia,\u201d sources in the country told RFA.<\/p>\n
The 728-megawatt Phou Ngoy Dam, with a projected completion date of 2029, would join the currently operational Xayaburi and Don Sahong Dams as well as the Pak Beng, Pak Lay, Luang Prabang and Sanakham Dams, in various stages of planning. Two others, Pak Chom and Ban Koum, are on the horizon after that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe initial environmental and social impact study for this dam has just been approved, however, the project still needs a lot more study,\u201d an official of the Energy and Mines Department of Champassak province in the country\u2019s deep south told RFA\u2019s Lao Service Dec. 23.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith regard to relocation of villagers, we haven\u2019t talked about it yet. We haven\u2019t discussed about when and where the affected villagers will be moved to,\u201d said the official, who requested anonymity to speak freely.<\/p>\n
The official said that the dam is an integral part of the government\u2019s strategic development plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lao government is determined to build this dam,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n
He said the project has not been submitted to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to undergo the Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) process yet \u201cbecause the detailed environmental and social impact study is not yet complete.\u201d<\/p>\n
The MRC is an inter-government agency that works with regional governments to manage the Mekong\u2019s resources.<\/p>\n
This map published by AFP shows the locations of hydropower projects in various stages of completion along the Mekong River. The Phou Ngoy Dam is listed here as Phu Ngoy.<\/p>\n
Laos submitted the Sanakham Dam for PNPCA approval in May and the agreement is expected to be completed in mid-2021, after which the new dam\u2019s plan will be submitted, the official said.<\/p>\n
In a common refrain heard in Laos, residents of the affected area told RFA they were opposed to yet another Mekong River dam.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome time ago they conducted a survey asking us about our property, about our shops and fruit trees,\u201d a resident of Khonken village in the province\u2019s Champassak district told RFA.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t heard anything about relocation. We don\u2019t want to be relocated. We don\u2019t know where we\u2019ll be moved to. We\u2019ve been here for generations and we believe that this is our permanent home,\u201d the resident said.<\/p>\n
Repeated accounts of villagers displaced by dam projects ending up poorer than they started has made him and his neighbors worried about their quality of life after resettlement, the villager said.<\/p>\n
The residents of Khonken are mostly farmers who grow rice and vegetables or raise livestock. Some run small businesses like restaurants and guesthouses that cater to tourists, mostly from neighboring Thailand.<\/p>\n
They fear that the dam would inundate the area\u2019s biggest attractions, rapids on the Mekong River and beaches on its banks.<\/p>\n
The entire village will likely be relocated, affecting of 142 households, or about 800 residents.<\/p>\n
A second resident of Champassak district told RFA that many villagers are asking the government to reconsider the Phou Ngoy Dam project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government is building these dams for money, but this one will destroy the beauty of nature and our property,\u201d the resident.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard about the dam project. We told them we don\u2019t want this dam,\u201d another resident told RFA.<\/p>\n
Including Khonken, the $2.4-billion project will affect 88 villages including 57 above the new water level and 31 below it.<\/p>\n
Though no power purchase agreement (PPA) has been signed, two South Korean construction companies, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction and Korea Western Power, have been tapped to build the dam between 2022 and 2029 in cooperation with Charoen Energy and Water Asia (CEWA) entities connected to the Thai and Lao governments.<\/p>\n
Thai concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n With the Mekong River marking half of the 1,845-km (1,150-mile) border between Laos and Thailand, Thai citizens affected by projects complain to Bangkok.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re monitoring this project closely. The company has not sent us all the information,\u201d Dr. Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general to the Office of the National Water Resources of Thailand, told RFA.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the Sanakham Dam PNPCA is complete, we\u2019ll look at the Phou Ngoy Dam. If built, the dam might affect the Thai side. The water might overflow into Thai territory,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Prajamwong noted that the dam would be only 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of Pakse, the capital of Laos\u2019 Champassak province, where more than 100,000 people live. It will also be only 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the confluence of the Mun and Mekong Rivers in Thailand\u2019s Sisaket province.<\/p>\n Laos has built dozens of hydropower dams on the Mekong and its tributaries under its \u201cBattery of Southeast Asia\u201d vision, with ultimate plans for scores more hoping to export the electricity they generate to other countries in the region.<\/p>\n Though the Lao government sees power generation as a way to boost the country\u2019s economy, the projects are controversial because of their environmental impact, displacement of villagers without adequate compensation, and questionable financial and power demand arrangements.<\/p>\n